Katie's contrast with her former self

Author's note: This chapter is even longer than the last (8744 words), but it is split up into six distinct parts. I contemplated posting the all as separate chapters, but they are meant to flow into each other, so I'm posting it all as one big chunk.

I apologize for how long this took to come out. It's been a lot of work.

*

One year earlier...

"You're home already? That was fast!"

Kate hardly acknowledged Jake as she stood in the entrance to their apartment - she had too much on her mind. Even though she had the entire bus ride back from her job interview to think about it, the absurdity of it all still baffled her. It should have been a no-brainer decision, but it also seemed too good to be true and she couldn't shake the red flags either.

So when her fiancé came bustling out of their bedroom, pulling a navy blue t-shirt down over his ripped torso, Kate was still frozen in thought and hadn't even started removing her winter gear. She was still trying to figure out how she could tell him that she was considering declining.

Jake came closer but stopped short of embracing her. "What's wrong?" he asked. "Was it that bad?"

Kate shook her head. "No," she said, her voice felt leagues away as she was still caught up in the whirlwind of her thoughts. "It was actually the easiest interview of my life."

"Well, that's great!" Jake said, stepping forward to help her get through the door. He grabbed her keys from her hand and placed them in the bowl beside the door, then began unwinding the scarf from around her neck. "So, what's wrong? When do you hear back?"

Jake's assistance and casual demeanor helped shake Kate from her stupor. She gave her head a small shake and started removing her jacket. "He's already given me an offer," she said. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Jake look at her with rapt attention. Did she really want to sully this moment? "But I think he only wants to hire me because I'm attractive."

Jake backed up a little and gave her an incredulous look. His hazelnut eyes always had a way of amplifying his expressions. "What makes you say that?" he asked.

"Well, for one, he spent the entire time talking to my boobs."

Jake chuckled and hung her scarf on the banister to let it dry. "Can you blame him? They're pretty magnificent."

"Ha ha," Kate replied dryly as she hung her jacket on a nearby hook. She tugged the cowl of her turtleneck up and shivered. It was nice to feel present again, but the cold air of the apartment was anything but pleasant. "He barely asked me anything related to the job, Jake. He basically took one look at me and offered me money."

Kate kicked off her boots and moved into the living room where Jake stood. Her arms were crossed over her chest, and she couldn't shake the memory of the guy's eyes. Their frosty blueness made her feel colder than their seemingly Arctic apartment. The way he'd looked at her had made her feel like a piece of meat, hung on a hook in a walk-in freezer.

"Well, what’s the offer?" Jake asked as he reached out and softly pulled her into his arms.

"A lot," Kate murmured, snuggling into his warm chest.

"How much? Like, more than we were talking about?"

"Almost double," she replied, knowing full well she was about to lose her temporary heater.

Just as Kate suspected, Jake slightly pulled her away in disbelief, his hands still resting on her shoulders so he could look her in the eye. Kate avoided his gaze, already knowing what he was about to say and not happy about it.

"Double?" he asked incredulously. "Kate! That would be amazing for us! We could get out of here so much faster... Or we could even find something nicer than we thought!"

Kate twisted away from Jake and freed herself from his grasp. "I know," she said, "but Jake, the way he looked at me, his eyes, they really gave me the heebie-jeebies." She shuddered again, thinking about them.

There was silence, and then, "So you're going to throw away a bunch of money because the guy's kind of creepy and he might make a pass at you?" Jake was clearly annoyed by the situation. She knew that all he saw were dollar signs. Life was always black and white for him.

Kate scoffed and walked to the kitchen. She turned on a burner at the stove and began filling a pot with water. It was partially to give her hands something to do, but the idea of tea or hot chocolate seemed like the right idea at that time. "You don't get it, Jake. You've never had to worry about your physical safety; you're practically He-Man." She walked back to the stove from the sink as the pot continued to fill with water and held her hands up to the increasingly hot element. "How are you not freezing in here?" she asked. "You didn't even have a shirt on when I came home."

"What?" Jake asked, obviously thrown off by the change of topic.

"You were pulling your shirt on when you came out to see me. What were you doing? How were you not freezing?!" She knew the pot was overflowing in the sink, but she didn’t want to move from the blissful heat of the stove.

"I was just about to hop in the shower, but I'll tell you what," Jake began. He calmly walked the few steps it took to traverse from the living room to their kitchen and turned the tap off. "You go first. Draw a nice hot bath. Warm up. Relax." He approached her from behind and wrapped her in his warm, muscular arms. She was still a little upset with him, but his body heat silently beckoned her, so she leaned into his embrace. "I'll run out for a coffee and I'll get you a hot chocolate topped with all that delicious fatty stuff."

That sounded nice to Kate. She could use one of the bath bombs she had been holding on to and she could just relax. She turned around in Jake's arms and looked up at him. His eyes cast a warm blanket of safety around her. "Can you get it with peppermint?" she asked quietly.

Jake smiled down at her. "Of course. Just make sure you think about the offer, OK?"

Kate nodded slowly. She knew she'd be stupid to decline... But...

"It could just be a temporary thing," he continued, "Enough to get your foot in the door of the industry."

Kate snuggled into his warmth. She knew he was right, but she still hated it.

"And if he's stupid enough to do something inappropriate, we'll sue his ass and make bank that way!"

Kate chuckled at his optimism. Jake always had a way to find the silver lining. She was so lucky to have him.

He held her closer. "Take your time thinking about it. It's a big decision."

*

Present day...

“It’s not that bigguva decision, Katie!” Amid the excited hum of women talking and laughing, and the persistent din of blow dryers, Carmella’s voice cut through like a razor.

The salon was set up in one of the center’s conference halls, and it was just as impressive as everything else Katie had seen that week. It was huge, with an open central area filled with hair stylists, nail technicians, and makeup artists. It felt like there was a continuous queue of women coming and going from all the stations to get pampered in one way or another. Katie had been so amazed by the energy and bustle of that central court that she didn’t even realize there were curtains all around the perimeter of the room to create semi-private partitions.

It was in one of those semi-private rooms where Katie found herself staring at swatches and displays while trying to decide what nail treatment she wanted. Apparently Andrew and Martin had paid to get them complete makeover packages. Katie didn't know the full extent of her package, but at the very least a manicure was involved, and all the choices felt very overwhelming. The curtain between her room and Carmella’s had been drawn back so they could chat and gossip, but Carmella had done most of the talking. It wasn't helping Katie decide.

Katie shot an irritated glance at her blonde cohort, who was laid back in her chair with cosmetologists working diligently on her hands and feet, before turning her attention back to the task at hand. Obviously, it wasn’t a huge decision at surface level — any choice she made would only last for a few weeks, tops — but it was the layers of nuance and implication that made Katie’s mind run wild.

She looked up at her cosmetologist with an apologetic smile. The woman had introduced herself as Vivian and she described herself as the maître d' of Katie's makeover. She was in charge of overseeing all the other cosmetologists and technicians and it was her job to make sure Katie was happy by the end of it. She looked to be a couple decades older than the other three employees who were patiently waiting for Katie to make her decision and her appearance suggested that she didn't put up with any nonsense. Tall, spiked stiletto heels adorned her feet, below a crimson red pencil skirt which was paired with a black silk blouse. Her glossy brown hair was styled in an asymmetrical bob and each strand seemed just as afraid to step out of line as her employees.

Vivian sweetly returned Katie's smile, but it was apparent that she was growing impatient. Even a master in customer service had her tells. Katie tried her best to ignore the stares of the other three cosmetologists ready to spring into action as soon as she made a decision. The pressure wasn’t helping Katie make a decision.

She felt like she was going cross-eyed with all the options. There were so many colours, finishes, lengths, and shapes. It was hard to narrow things down! Of course, Andrew’s choice had been presented to her first, and it loomed off to the side with an obtrusive presence. Carmella had explained that it was typical for the choices to be made when the appointment was booked, but that Andrew had paid to cover any changes she decided to make. Katie’s eyes flicked over to his choice. The color wouldn’t work with her dress for that evening, but she couldn’t blame him for not knowing that, and that wasn’t what bothered her. It was the shape and the size.

They had brought Andrew's choice to life on a prosthetic finger. The scarlet red nail shined in stark contrast to the pallid, lifeless beige of the fake finger, and it projected past the tip like a tiny red diving board. It wasn't nearly as long as some of the other nails she had seen around the convention, but it was still considerably longer than anything she had ever considered for herself. It had a flat blunted end with the corners rounded off, adding to the fake look that Katie had spent so many years avoiding.

"At least it's not pointy like a talon," Katie mused as she continued to examine it. It seemed so long and unwieldy. Was that really what Andrew wanted? With nails like that she'd have to relearn so many movements, like how to type on a keyboard... Wouldn't that make her a worse employee? Did Andrew even think about that when he chose it?

And what would Jake think? He always made fun of women with nails like that. Would he be disappointed in her if she came home and couldn't even open a soda can anymore? He was already in for a shock with her new style, but would long fake nails end up breaking the camel's back?

As she contemplated these questions, she heard Carmella's voice in her mind like a dolled up angel on her shoulder, "Don't let anybody's expectations mess with your head." Katie realized that this was one of those times when she had to figure out who she really was. She had to make this decision for herself. She had to choose what she wanted, but it felt so hard to separate herself from her relationships. Her eyes flicked back to the sea of swatches in front of her.

"What does Katie like?" she thought.

She had never been to a nail salon before. In fact she didn't even own a bottle of nail polish. Keeping her nails pretty just never seemed to be worth the fuss. She liked being the kind of girl who didn't shy away from getting her hands dirty, whether it was gardening, fixing things around the house, or chopping wood when she was camping. She took pride in her practicality and independence. Even in her clothing she used to always opt for comfort over style.

Over the past week though, Katie had found more and more that she loved being looked at. What had started as just a simple excuse to look pretty at work had uncovered another facet of her being. She loved drawing men’s attention. She loved being looked at and ogled. She loved showing off. She loved being sexy. And she needed to accept that.

Long acrylic nails would certainly draw men’s attention. They might not make her stand out among the flock of women at the convention with longer, sharper, brighter nails, but she had other assets to do that for her. An extra peacock feather would never hurt though.

Katie's eyes flicked back to the prosthetic finger with its crimson headdress, and she smirked. She felt less hesitant about the whole idea. Some added flair never hurt, right? It would. Make her feel sexy, and if Andrew liked how it looked, then that was just an added bonus.

"OK," she said aloud and she sat up straighter. Everyone seemed poised on her word. She pointed at Andrew's choice. "I'll take that one, but in a glossy white."

Vivian smiled sweetly then nodded at her three employees. She began gathering up the assorted swatches and samples. "We can definitely do that," she said while the other three women assumed their positions around Katie.

Katie leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes as one woman began working on her eyebrows. The other two began tending to her hands and feet. She felt proud that she had made a decision for herself. She hadn't expected it to be such a hard thing to do, but the more that she thought about it, the more excited she became. Thoughts of the looks she would get with her long nails while wearing her daring cocktail dress that evening paraded through her mind. She imagined her nails slightly scraping Andrew's skin as she undressed him, and pictured how good his cock would look with her sexy hand wrapped around it. "White's a good choice, Katie," Carmella called from her chair, snapping Katie from her lust filled reverie. Katie kept her eyes closed, but she smirked in apprecoation. If the wetness between her thighs was any indication, she knew that it was the right decision.

She began to dream about what people would say when they saw her with her new nails.

*

One year earlier...

“I wonder how much she spends every month just so she can struggle with a tablet,” said Jake.

Kate smirked but immediately felt bad for the girl. They were standing in the front vestibule of a local restaurant, watching the hostess paw at the tablet in front of her as she tried to add people to their waiting list. She seemed to be struggling quite a bit, likely due to her acrylic nails, and it all seemed very inefficient. Kate didn’t even want to imagine what it would be like to have to function with nails like that. She imagined having to buy a keyboard with extra spaces between the keys just to be able to do her job properly.

Still, as ridiculous as it looked, Kate felt bad for her. She was sure the girl was perfectly capable of many things, and if having nails like that made her feel good about herself, then who was Kate to judge? She knew what her mom would say. The word 'hussy' rang through Kate’s head in the voice of her dearly departed mother. Her mom had always been quick to judge and label other people, especially women whom she deemed to be morally loose. Fortunately, Kate had inherited her dad’s kind-hearted tolerance and empathy, but it was sometimes hard to silence her mom’s spectral voice in her head.

Kate looked down at what she was wearing and wondered if her mom would approve. It was a classic little black dress with a high neckline and a modest hem length just below her knees. It was still shorter than her mom would have thought appropriate, but she probably would have had a bigger problem with how the dress clung to her curves — another gift she inherited from her father’s side. Kate’s mom had always made sure that she was bundled up to hide away any possible temptation for ogling eyes.

Kate smoothed out her dress around her hips and tried to bury the memories of her mom for the time being. Now was the time for happier thoughts. They were out to celebrate! Jake had insisted that they go out to a fancy restaurant to celebrate her new job. Kate had reluctantly agreed, but she was trying her best to enjoy the night with her fiancé. The idea of frivolously spending so much money on food never sat right with her and the restaurant he chose was one of the priciest in town. She would have preferred cooking steaks at home, even if they didn't taste as good.

But what bothered her most was the heavy feeling in the pit of her stomach about her new employer. She just couldn't shake it. Something about him really gave her the creeps. Even when she went in to sign her contract and give her banking information, he eyed her up like a... well, a perfectly cut and seared steak.

Kate shook her head. She needed to stop thinking about it and start thinking about how nice it was to go for a date night with Jake. She always liked seeing him dressed up, probably as much as he enjoyed seeing her in her little black dress. Something about the way he filled out a dress shirt with his chiseled physique made her weak at the knees. She let her mind wander as she checked out her fiancé. She eyed his vascular forearms, exposed past his rolled-up sleeves. Her eyes then ventured lower than what would be polite and admired how his dress pants hugged his sculpted glutes. He was a specimen and she felt desire begin to overwhelm her.

“Hey, babe,” she whispered, pulling his attention away from the hostess’s ridiculous nails, “it’ll probably be a long wait before we get a seat. Why don’t we just go home and order in?”

Jake briefly looked concerned but switched to his Prince Charming smile. “Don’t be ridiculous. We need to celebrate! You deserve this.”

Kate sidled up to him and gave him her coy come-hither eyes. “I can think of a better way to celebrate...” she said, certain that he would pick up on her intentions.

Jake’s smile grew wider. “Oh, I see. You’re in that kind of mood.” He wrapped a ripped arm around her and pulled her in close to his broad chest.

Kate looked up at him with a mischievous grin and nodded. “From the looks of it, it’ll probably be an hour before we get a table anyway,” she said, glancing at the flustered hostess and her ridiculous nails. "I'd rather spend that time doing something more... productive."

While her statement was true, Kate had other reasons for not wanting to stay there. She really didn’t want to spend the night worried about eating food they couldn’t afford. If anything, sex with her handsome fiancé was sure to extinguish the dread she felt when she thought about working for her new boss — at least for a little while.

“You know that I’m always up for that,” Jake said, but then his face shifted to one of mild concern. “But are you sure that it’s okay that we don’t celebrate?”

*

Present day...

“Yes, I’m sure,” Katie said resolutely. She needed to stand her ground.

The hairstylist looked disappointed and a little confused but nonetheless set aside the cup she was using to mix the dye and began rearranging her cart to just trim Katie’s hair instead. While Katie felt bad about the fact that Andrew had already paid for the dye treatment, she had to make her own choices. Her brows had already been plucked, waxed, shaped, and feathered to suit his request, and her eyelashes were fuller and darker than she would have ever considered. But she was attached to her dark brown hair like it was an extension of herself. It was something she treasured and Andrew would just have to accept that. There were enough blondes in the world. Besides, he had more than enough money to throw away on something small like that.

Her resolve was further emboldened by encouragement from Carmella. “Good for you, girl,” she said from her chair. Since Carmella had already styled her own hair that morning, she didn’t have anyone working on her at that time. At first, Katie felt bad making her wait, but she had told her that she was waiting on a consult before getting her makeup done — whatever that meant. In the meantime, Carmella had her nose in her phone and was keeping herself busy with one of her many projects on the go.

"I really hope she’s not posting any photos of this," Katie thought while the stylist began brushing and combing through her hair. If she was supposed to be in charge of her own choices, one choice she would make would be to not post any photos of herself mid-makeover. She started thinking about the social media account that Carmella had made.

Initially, Katie let it happen because it was less effort than telling Carmella, 'No.' Initially, her plan was to just abandon it after the convention and let all traces of herself there disappear into obscurity. Initially, Katie was going to go back home to her fiancé and resume her boring life with her boring clothes and her boring makeup. Initially, Katie hadn’t realized how fun it was to always be sexy, how good she looked with gel nails and feathered eyebrows, and how exciting it was to show off her body to hundreds of men — or even thousands, if Carmella wasn’t lying about her follower count.

Now... she didn’t want to let that go. Now, the idea seemed fun. Now, the idea of always showing off and being sexy just felt right.

Ever since Carmella had told her to make her own decisions, it sang in her mind like the purest of truths, and she knew it would have to extend to her life outside of the convention. She couldn't hide who she was. She needed to dress sexily. She needed to show off for admiring eyes. And Just like how Andrew would have to accept her as a brunette, Jake would have to accept her as a sexy woman who liked showing off. It felt like a disservice to go back to wearing frumpy clothes. Jake would learn to appreciate it, and he was going to have to be OK with having other men ogle her. She was hot and sexy, it was going to happen.

"Carmella?" Katie said while the stylist began separating her hair into layers. Carmella looked up from her phone with a curious expression. "Can you give me the login details for that account you made?"

Carmella's expression immediately changed to the point where she was exuding sunshine. "I was beginnin' to think you didn't want it. Sure, babe. Where's your phone? I'll log you in."

"Can you text it to me? I left my phone in my room."

"You got it, hun. Make sure you bring that phone tonight, though! Plenty chances for some real spicy shots, if ya catch my drift..." Carmella redirected her attention back to her phone and began typing quickly. Katie watched in amazement at Carmella's dexterity even with nails longer than her own. It wasn't something she really paid attention to before, but now... Katie felt her own new nails. They still seemed so unwieldy. She wondered how long it would take her to adjust.

"And sent," said Carmella, "I'm so excited that you're owning this."

Katie felt excitement that rivaled Carmella's. This was her decision, her choice. She wasn’t doing it for Andrew, or Jake, or anyone else. This was for her. She was ready to embrace this new side of herself, to let the world see her as the hot and sexy woman she had come to be. She couldn't wait to show off and be seen.

Katie was about to respond when a male voice called through the curtain.

"Knock knock, can I come in?"

Katie didn't recognize the voice. She assumed it was another salon employee even though none of the others had bothered to announce themselves before entering.

"Of course!" Carmella sang. She wore a wide smile and practically jumped from her seat. Katie furrowed her brow at her friend's sudden enthusiasm. Did she know this person?

The curtain parted to reveal a man who looked like a life-sized Ken doll. He wore a lab coat over a fitted baby blue dress shirt that made his pale blue eyes pop. His chestnut hair was perfectly styled, and he flashed a Hollywood smile.

"Dr. Eric," Carmella said with a sultry lilt, already moving toward the Adonis. Katie blinked in surprise. The man was a doctor? He looked barely older than her, though she often forgot she'd graduated high school over a decade ago.

"Carmella," the doctor smiled. He outstretched his arms towards her. "You look as radiant as ever."

They greeted each other with exaggerated European-style cheek kisses, emphasizing the "mwah" sound they made.

When they pulled apart, Dr. Eric's gaze flashed over to Katie. Despite being pale blue, his eyes exuded warmth and cheerfulness. "Hello," he said, "I don't believe we've met."

"This is Katie," said Carmella, looping her arm through his as she turned so they were both facing Katie as she sat getting her hair trimmed. Katie silently forgave Carmella for not letting her speak; she was obviously very excited to see her friend. She lifted her hand to give them a curt wave from beneath the cutting gown. "This is her first convention," Carmella said almost conspiratorially.

Dr. Eric's eyes sparkled. "A fresh face?" His voice was suddenly heavy with intrigue. "How have you been enjoying your time here?"

"Oh my god, she's having the best time!" Carmella piped in before Katie could even open her mouth. She turned towards Dr. Eric and flirtatiously placed her hand on his shoulder. "She's been turning heads everywhere, and you can tell she's been enjoying it. You should see the little number she has for the gala."

Katie felt her cheeks flush, both at the interruption and at Carmella's flattery. While it was nice to be talked about so fondly, she wanted to be able to get in a word edgewise.

While Carmella talked, Dr. Eric's eyes never left Katie. A smile grew on his face and he reached up to pat Carmella's hand. "Carmella," he said gently before she could say anything further, "Let the woman answer for herself!" Carmella caught her tongue and turned again to face Katie.

Katie exhaled. She was thankful to have the chance to speak, but she didn't know how exactly to answer. "It's been... eye-opening," she said carefully. "Different than I expected."

Dr. Eric nodded. His pale blue eyes sparkled like it was the most fascinating thing he'd heard all day. "The first convention always is," he said. Katie felt a gentle kindness emanate from him. It was very disarming.

A poignant silence between the three of them followed his words, as if each of them was silently measuring up the others. In that moment, the silence occupied all of Katie's senses, swallowing up the sin from the rest of the salon. As she looked into the doctor's blue eyes, like a calm sea, Katie could only hear the occasional snip of the stylist's shears behind her head, and it was glorious.

Carmella must have felt differently however, because she piped up and broke the silence. "Dr. Eric is a plastic surgeon. Brilliant too. He did my boobs, my nose, my cheeks-"

She probably would have continued filling the silence if Dr. Eric hadn't interrupted her. "Carmella," he said pleasantly, "Let's not overwhelm her." He gently freed himself from her and walked over to Katie. "The term plastic surgery has such terrible connotations. I like to say I'm a guide for people who want to find confidence. If you're ever in need of a guide, you can give me a call." He produced a business card from his coat pocket and handed it to Katie.

She had never before considered plastic surgery for herself; her opinion on the matter had always been tarnished by her mom's voice yelling, "Hussy!" But with her new mindset, making decisions for herself, maybe she'd consider it. She still wouldn't know what she would want to change, if anything, but a part of her began to wonder...

"Not that she'd need anything," Carmella quickly added. "Look at her, Eric! That bone structure? That nose? She's naturally perfect."

Dr. Eric studied Katie's face like a sculptor eyeing a marble slab. Katie couldn't deny she appreciated his cool gaze. "I can't argue there," he said with a sly smile, "But confidence is a fickle thing, and that's a decision Katie should make for herself." The doctor punctuated his sentence by winking at Katie.

She could only blush in response. Just when she thought the doctor couldn't be more attractive, he upped the ante. Carmella, in all her excitement at his presence, seemed to forget her own advice towards Katie, and it didn't go unnoticed, but suave Dr. Eric wisely called her out. Decisions about herself, about her body, were for Katie to make. She had to make these choices for herself. While she didn't need bigger boobs, what if she wanted them lifted? What if she wanted to be able to wear shirts like Carmella's? She eyed up Carmella's obviously fake body with mild envy. It would be nice to have some other outfit options now that she was going to dress to impress. Carmella's pink vinyl top looked so good on her, but Katie's breasts would probably just flop out if she tried wearing it.

Her eyes glanced up to Carmella's award-winning pout. Maybe she'd want lip injections? Not today, obviously, then she wouldn't be able to kiss Andrew later, but her lips had never been anything to write home about. She always envied women with large plush lips. Lipstick always felt like it detracted from her face by highlighting how thin her lips were.

She thought about her fantasy of going down on Andrew, about sucking his sexy cock, and how much better it would be with larger, more plush lips. It would probably feel the same, but she'd look so much better doing it. The choice would be hers, but she was certain he'd enjoy it.

Dr. Eric's voice snapped her from her fantasy, "I suspect there are things you would change if you could, no?" His smirk and sly undertones made it seem like he could read her mind. Once again, Katie could only blush in response and she clutched his card tightly in her hand.

"Just something to consider," he said coyly before turning his attention back to Carmella. "Now, my dear, don't you think we should get down to business?"

"Yes, please," Carmella purred. She pulled up the strap of her pink vinyl top and released her large breasts without a second thought. Her augmented boobs barely moved despite being unrestrained and Katie found herself staring. She had spent a lot of time with Carmella over the past few days, but she hadn't expected to see her naked, yet Carmella stood with her chest pushed out proudly for everyone to see. The stylist continued cutting Katie's hair as if it were completely normal. Katie eyed how high and proud Carmella's boobs sat on her chest - her own breasts would never do that - and she wondered how it would feel to not have to worry about a bra to get cleavage like that.

Dr. Eric pulled out some latex gloves from his coat and donned them with a snap. "Let's see how my handiwork is holding up," he said before placing his hands on Carmella's breasts. His touch looked professional and clinical as he palpated Carmella's breasts. She, on the other hand, seemed to melt into his touch like a cat getting stroked. She closed her eyes and a soft moan escaped while his fingers traced around the contours of her implants.

"Naughty girl," he chided, "There'll be none of that here." Carmella opened her eyes and gave a soft pout. Before long, Dr. Eric retracted his hands and added. "They feel good to me. Still perfectly symmetrical after all this time."

Carmella pulled her strap back over her erect nipples. "They still feel amazing," she sighed, "Best decision evah. "

"I'm always glad to hear that, but..." said Dr. Eric. He tilted his head to study Carmella's silhouette. "Have you put some thought into going bigger? I really think a size up would give your shape some added vavoom."

Carmella smiled sweetly. "Oh, honey, you know I'd love to go under for you again, but that decision is Martin's to make." She walked back to her chair and took a seat. "You know how much he cherishes his possessions."

Carmella's continued hypocrisy felt like a slap to Katie. She felt her cheeks flush once more, this time in irritation. After all Carmella's talk about making choices for oneself, here she was referring to herself as one of Martin's possessions.

Like she was a piece of art for him to display.

That thought hit Katie hard, injecting a distinct feeling of arousal on top of her anger. There was a sudden and familiar wetness between her thighs as she thought about being someone's art. Andrew's masterpiece.

She shook her head and tried to push the distracting feelings down. As exciting as it would be to be molded and sculpted so she could be gawked and stared at as Andrew's arm candy, it didn't change the fact that no one should tell her how to look. Carmella knew that, yet she had no problem letting Martin dictate the shape of her body. Katie knew Carmella was smart enough to not be manipulated, so why was she bowing to such an obvious reach for control?

"That's quite fair. You be sure to let me know if he changes his mind," replied Dr. Eric while he fished a small metal case from his pocket. "Just the botox today, then."

Carmella eyed the case and smiled, before relaxing her face completely. Dr. Eric opened it up and pulled out a syringe. Katie could only watch as an uncomfortable fascination washed over her. Once the doctor had readied the needle, he brought it close to Carmella's forehead.

"You'll feel a small pinch," he said and proceeded with the injection.

**

One year earlier...

“Ow!”

Kate reached behind her neck and pulled out a pin from the collar of her dress shirt. She set it on the edge of the vanity and began buttoning up her shirt. Her stomach tumbled with nervous jitters and her thoughts were still shrouded with dread. She knew she should be excited about this job, about this opportunity, but there was no calming the red flags that waved ceaselessly in her mind. Kate had tried telling herself that it was just nerves, because it was a big change, and she typically resisted change... but she couldn’t shake the idea that her boss carried ulterior motives while hiring her.

“Babe? Are you okay?”

Kate looked up at the mirror, at the reflection of her fiancé poking his head through the bathroom door. “Yeah, yeah, I’m fine,” she stammered before forcing a smile. “I’m just about ready.”

“Okay,” he responded as he pushed the bathroom door fully open. “I just thought I heard you hurt yourself, and then I didn’t hear anything else. Just wanted to make sure you’re okay.”

Still facing away from Jake, Kate beamed. He really was such a thoughtful guy and his presence had a knack for sweeping away any of her negative thoughts. “Oh yeah, I just missed a pin before I put this shirt on,” she said just as she finished fastening the last button. She turned around with a smile to face her wonderful fiancé. “Thanks for checking on me, though.”

Her smile quickly fell, though, when she saw Jake’s expression. He was looking at her shirt, and he looked quite unimpressed.

“Is that what you’re wearing?” he asked.

“It is. I bought it so I could look more professional.”

“Well, what’s wrong with your other blouses?” he asked.

“What’s wrong with this one?” she fired back.

Jake took a small step back. “Well, is it a men’s shirt?”

Kate opened her mouth in shock. “Of course not!” she replied. “Look at the buttons, look at the collar—this is clearly a women’s shirt.” She turned back to the mirror and proceeded to tuck it into her waistband.

“Then why is it so baggy?” he asked.

Kate had been hoping he wouldn’t ask. She knew how he would respond when she told him the reason, but she had no other way to explain it. “I bought it a size bigger,” she said finally, “you know, to maybe hide the girls a bit.”

Kate wasn’t looking at him or his reflection, but she knew that Jake was rolling his eyes. “You’re still worried about that?” he asked. “I thought we were past it.”

Kate shook her head. “Just drop it,” she mumbled.

“I just don’t see what the issue is.”

Kate looked up at the mirror and glared at him. “Of course you don’t,” she said. “You’ve never had to go a day carrying around two massive reminders of how misogynistic the world is.”

He clearly didn't know how to respond, so Kate averted her eyes back to her chest and continued fussing with her shirt. “If it didn’t cost so much, I’d get these reduced, like, yesterday,” she grumbled.

“Don’t you dare,” Jake said softly. He approached Kate from behind and gently embraced her in his muscular arms. “There’s a shortage of perfect breasts in the world. It would be a pity to damage yours.”

Deapite herself, Kate couldn’t hold back a smile. Jake had a knack for busting her out of her bad moods and, by quoting one of her favorite movies, he managed to do it once again.

At seeing her smile, Jake kept talking. “You’re more than a pair of breasts,” he said, and then with a smirk, “You have a pretty face too.”

Kate wrinkled her nose and stuck her tongue out at his joke.

“I’m kidding,” he said, and he pulled her in closer. “You’re incredibly smart, you’re a hard worker, you’re kind, and you’re a good person — almost to a fault! ”

Kate found herself blushing. She didn’t normally enjoy compliments, but Jake always made them feel genuine. “Thanks,” she whispered.

“Maybe this guy did hire you because of your looks, but he really lucked out because you’re going to be the best employee he’s ever had and he’s going to realize that sooner rather than later.”

Kate melted into Jake’s muscular arms. In his strong embrace, her worries always drifted away.

“In the meantime,” he continued.

Kate opened her eyes wearily. Was he about to ruin that perfect moment?

“If he’s really paying you that much because he thinks you’re attractive, would it hurt to play ball? Within reason, of course.”

Yep, he ruined it. Kate rolled her eyes and peeled his arms off her and let out an annoyed sigh. “It’s about setting a precedent, Jake.”

Jake backed away, knowing that he had crossed the line. He raised his hands like she had drawn a gun. “Okay, that’s fine,” he said. “That’s your decision, and as your fiancé, I completely support it.”

Kate tried to soften her glare, but she was seething inside. The problem was that he had a good point and she didn't know if she was angry at him for suggesting she played into her new boss's misogyny, or if she was angry at herself because she partially agreed. She had been doubting herself ever since she bought that stupid oversized shirt and she was worried her new boss would respond poorly. Would it really hurt to play into her femininity a bit? It wasn't like she was getting dolled up or wearing short skirts. A fitted blouse and slacks was completely professional, even if it did show off her curves. Even her mom wouldn't have complained about an outfit like that.

And if her new boss decided to make things sexual, she'd just have to put him in his place.

She pursed her lips while looking at Jake. He seemed to be waiting for her to react. "Fine..." she sighed, admitting defeat, "Can you get me my pink blouse? The one with the wide collar?"

Jake thought for a moment then smiled in recognition. "Sure," he said, "Do you want the pants you normally wear with it?"

Kate began unbuttoning her shirt. "The high waisted ones? Yea."

Jake quickly disappeared from the bathroom, leaving Kate by herself. She paused for a moment, leaving her fingers at the last button they had worked on. Her mind was filled with self doubt. Was this a mistake? Was she going to regret this? There was only one way to know.

In an effort to reassure herself, Kate turned and looked at herself in the mirror.

*

Present day...

Katie hardly recognized herself. She could see the awe in her own expression as she took in the reflected portrait of herself. In contrast, the hair stylist's expression rested in weary indifference. Katie didn't mind. She knew the stylist was likely only halfway through her marathon of haircuts and colours for the day, and that she had wanted to make grander changes to Katie's hair. Katie couldn't blame her for being unenthused about a simple trim and style, but this was the first time Katie had seen her reflection since they arrived at the salon, and she was floored by the difference. She was stunning. Chocolate brown hair cascaded in perfect waves around her face, which seemed to have sharper cheekbones and a thinner nose than before. Makeup was truly transformative. What shocked Katie the most, however, was how dazzling her eyes looked.

She had never given her dark eyes much credit, having always been jealous of the girls with dark hair and blue eyes - the contrast always seemed so fetching - but the team there had managed to make her boring, dark eyes absolutely pop and sparkle. Nude lipstick, bold and dark eyeshadow, feathered eyebrows, and false lashes all combined to make her eyes irresistible. How had she never noticed the little gold flecks in her irises before?

A wide smile flew across Katie's face. She brought her hands to her mouth as she gasped in shocked glee, and then she saw her long white nails. She had briefly forgotten about them, but they looked so sexy and stylish. Everything had come together to build her up as a stone-cold fox. She didn't even need her genetically blessed body to be a knockout.

"I don't know what to say! This is... Th-thank you!" she babbled. Katie's unbridled elation was even enough to quell her mother's voice in her head. She wasn't a hussy, she was just finally proud of her femininity.

The hair stylist finally showed some personality and smiled sweetly. "You're welcome!" she chirped before she walked away to gather her things.

"You look fucking hot, Katie," Carmella said from the next chair.

Katie looked at her friend with an overly excited smile and was about to respond when Vivian entered their room.

"One more treatment. We saved the best for last," she said. She was holding a white plastic box with rounded edges that served as a cradle for a similarly white device - it looked like a checkout scanner from a store.

"What's the treatment?" Katie asked, thoroughly confused. She'd thought they were finished and was looking forward to showing herself off to Andrew. It was really frustrating that she didn't know what treatments Andrew had paid for.

Vivian adopted an enthusiastic and eager smile. "Laser hair removal" she sang while presenting the device as if she was on a infomercial, and the she added with a suggestive tone, "Brazilian!"

Katie looked at Carmella in bewilderment who also had a subtle mischievous smile. "It's for around your cooch, honey," said Carmella.

"Yeah, I put that together but..." Her head was a maelstrom of questions. She didn't know which one to ask first! She just stared at the device in Vivian's hand as they circled her mind. Was this just a part of a package deal? Or had Andrew specifically requested it? Would it hurt? Wasn't this just something pornstars did? Did real women actually do this kind of thing? Is that what Andrew preferred? Did he think she was less sexy because of her bush? If she went through with it, how would she explain it to Jake?

Kate took a breath. "First things first," she though. She looked up at Vivian who was still holding the machine like it was a prize on a game show, but her excited expression had slightly fallen. "Does it hurt?" Katie asked.

Vivian's enthusiastic expression reemerged on her face and her smile grew even wider. "Quite the opposite," she said, "it's a proprietary technology. Most women find it quite pleasurable!" She winked at Katie as she almost purred her last word.

"I've heard it's amazing," Carmella said from off to the side.

Katie furrowed her brow and looked over at her friend who was scrolling through her phone once again. "You haven't done this?" Katie asked. She almost assumed that Carmella had tried every treatment that was there.

"Nope, Martin likes my curly Qs. I even dye them blonde for him." Carmella said the whole thing so nonchalantly, as if talking about her pubic hair was no different than discussing the weather. She didn't even look up from her phone.

Katie, however, couldn't help but notice Carmella's hypocrisy once again, and it was enough to derail any thoughts she had about the laser. "Carmella," Katie said, her voice was dripping with enough irritation that it managed to pry her friend's gaze away from her phone, "Why the heck would you tell me to make choices for myself when you don't even do it yourself? Why don't you take your own advice? All you do is act and look how Martin wants! You really shouldn't be telling others to make their own decisions!" Her voice was more fiery than necessary, but the whole situation really annoyed her. Put of the corner of her eye, she could see Vivian slowly back up towards the curtain so she wouldn't get roped into the spat.

Carmella looked shocked by the verbal ****, but she kept a strong eye on Katie. She held up a firm finger. “Woah, honey, slow down." She didn't raise her voice, in fact it was quieter than when she normally spoke, but her pitch held a gentle warning for Katie to back off. "I still make my own choices, doll, I just choose to look how Martin likes. It's not because I'm afraid of doing anythin' different or 'cause I feel like I owe it to him or whatevah. It makes both of us happy and that's what mattahs."

Katie looked at the floor. Her heart is as still pumping adrenaline through her, but she could see Carmella's point. She felt her face redden with with embarrassment. She shouldn't have shot off at Carmella like that, and she knew she was lucky that Carmella was level-headed enough to keep it from escalating. She felt like a young school girl getting scolded by the principal.

"I'm proud of you for standin' up for yourself though. Takes some real guts!" Carmella's voice had resumed its normal friendly frequency, and Katie looked up slowly. Her friend was grinning at her with her dazzling, confident smile, even though her forehead no longer showed any signs.

Katie felt her cheeks redden further. She felt ashamed and mortified that she had acted that way towards Carmella. There was still so much she had to learn. "I'm sorry," she said softly.

Carmella chuckled. "No hard feelings, doll. I promise," she said. Her voice was sugary and reassuring. "There's a lot goin' on and it probably seems hypocritical of me, I get it. I just like looking sexy for Martin, y'know? It's important to look sexy for your man, doncha agree?"

Katie felt the room fade away from her. Vivian vanished. Carmella's phone disappeared. Even her own being felt in corporeal. Her gaze fixated on Carmella's ruby red, round lips and her warm, caring smile. If Carmella was still talking, Katie couldn't tell as all sound seemed to vanish with the rest of the world. She felt herself regress into the recesses of her mind, left only with her thoughts and her knowledge.

Of course Carmella wanted to look exactly how Martin wanted. It was important to look sexy for your man, whomever he may be. She remembered her struggles that day, debating over treatment after treatment. The constant self-doubt, fighting against her judgments and trying to figure out who she was, it would have been so much easier if she had just remembered to make herself sexy for Andrew... and Jake. She loved being arm candy, she already knew that, so why not go a step further and be her man's doll? His perfect accessory.

His sexy work of art.

She thought back to the woman they saw walk by at the bar. How sculpted she was, how dedicated she was, how disciplined she was. She was probably very content to be like that, look like that, act like that... Not just because it was her choice to be living art, but because she was also being sexy for her man, be it an employer or a spouse. Decisions didn't have to be so hard. They didn't have to hold so many layers of nuance or implications. Katie liked being sexy. She liked being looked at by Andrew. She knew that Jake would probably like to ogle her more. Why wouldn't she just be sexy for them? Why couldn't she just be a canvas for them to appreciate?

Katie blinked and the world regained its rightful place. The salon flooded in around her, its chaotic noise seemed to wash through through her sense. She looked up from Carmella's lips and composed herself in her chair. She looked around the makeshift room, both Carmella and Vivian were looking at her expectantly.

Carmella had a wide smile. She wasn't upset in the slightest and that gave Katie great relief. Katie smiled back. "Yea, you're right," she said, "It's important."

"Great," Carmella replied, "Now, how about you make a decision so this lady can go about her day?" She pointed at Vivian, who looked around awkwardly and then posed with the laser device again.

"Andrew paid for it?" Katie asked.

Vivian nodded sending a wave of motion through her brunette bob. Her mouth had resumed its customer-service-smile.

"That must mean that he thinks it's sexy!" Carmella chimed in. "Doncha think you should have the pretty pussy he wants?"

Katie blinked. Despite Carmella's vulgar choice of words, Katie knew she was right. She smiled. He was going to love it.